This invention in one aspect relates to an expansion joint seal, which may have various forms, for sealing the gap between two spaced apart members, the seal bridging this gap. The invention has wide application in the sealing of gaps between adjacent deck sections on bridges or the like but also may be used elsewhere. In another aspect this invention relates to techniques, methods and apparatus for making and installing expansion joint seals.
The sealing of the gap between adjacent deck sections of a bridge is very important to the maintenance of the bridge. The seal must allow movement of the deck sections and, thus, must be capable of expansion and contraction as the gap across which it bridges expands and contracts due to expansion and contraction of the deck sections caused by temperature changes. The seal must prevent water, salt and other foreign material from seeping down into the metal parts beneath the bridge decks where it may cause damage to the bearings and other mechanisms associated with bridge expansion, and corrosion of bridge components. The seal also must bridge the gap in such a fashion as to provide a smooth crossing for vehicles.
Many expansion joint seals have been developed, some using reinforced elastomer materials and others using intermeshing metallic elements.
A particularly effective expansion joint seal is described and claimed in Canadian Patent 884,661, Joseph D. George, issued Nov. 2, 1971. The present invention in certain aspects thereof constitutes an improvement to the expansion joint seal disclosed in this patent. Other aspects of this invention relate to expansion joint seals which are not necessarily of the type disclosed in Canadian Patent 884,661.